Water cooler



Jan. 9, 1934. L. AUSTIN 1,942,742

WATER COOLER Filed March 27, 1951 FIG-.1. FIG.6. FIG-.2.

INVENTOR.

Luuis L. .AusTin 7 70 wt; ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in water coolers.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved mechanically refrigerated water cooler wherefrom the water dispensed under highly sanitary conditions.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved water cooler which is adapted to receive the conventional large bottle of water in an improved manner so that the water in its cooled condition may be dispensed directlyfrom the bottle without the necessity of passing the water through an intermediary or auxiliary cooling compartment; the bottle being supported and associated in an improved relation with refrigeration apparatus so as to obviate unnecessary complicated dispensing operations by the operator.

A further object of this invention is the provision of water cooling apparatus which has for its object the sanitary dispensing of water from conventional water bottles in a different manner than that shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 506,246, in that the water is cooled and dispensed directly from the container but without the necessity of the operator tipping the bottle or container.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved water cooling cabinet.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved water cooler for the sanitary and direct dispensing of water from a conventional large water bottle such as is used in distributing pure water or spring water; the improved apparatus embodying means for precooling the contents of a bottle in storage.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved water cooler.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the improved water cooler showing the arrangement of cooling details and the association in the cooling compartment of thecabinet of vessels or bottles wherein the water is contained.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the upper portion of the water cooler showing the dispensing arrangement.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 with the water bottle removed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the stopper of the draft arm of the water bottle.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the doors of the cabinet showing the construction thereof for accommodating the draft arm of the bottle.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only. a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved water cooler, which consists of an insulated cabinet B having means C therein for supporting an inverted water containing bottle D; the latter having an improved draft arm E associated therewith. A bottle D is received in pre-cooling storage in the cabinet 13; automatically operated refrigerating apparatus G being associated with the cabinet B and the bottles D and D for cooling the contents of the latter.

The insulated cabinet B is preferably narrow and. vertically elongated although the construction may vary widely. It preferably consists of abottorn wall 10; rear wall 11; side walls 12 and 13; front wall 14, and a top wall .15; all of said walls preferably being heat insulated, and preferably consisting of an outer metal casing, an inner metal jacket, and heat insulating material, such as cork interposed between the metal casing and metal jacket. This cabinet defines a cooling compartment or chamber 1'7 wherein the water containing dispensing bottle D and precooled storage bottle D are received. The cabinet may be supported upon suitable legs 20, preferably so that the bottom wall 10 of the cabinet is spaced close to the supporting floor or surface, although the lengths of these legs may vary as desired.

The front wall 14 of the cabinet at its upper portion is provided with an opening 21 having a suitable insulated closure arrangement comprising a pair of doors 22 and 23, respectively hinged at 24 and 25 at opposite sides of the doorway 21, so that said door sections 22 and 23 may be closed into meeting engagement at their free edges and suitably maintained closed by an automatic latching handle 26 of conventional construction. The door sections 22 and 23 are narrow in Width compared to their height, and the opening 21 in which they operate is of sufficient size to permit of the entrance to the upper part of the compartment 17 of the conventional five- 110 gallon size water bottle D in an inverted condition with draft arm attached.

The means for supporting the bottle D in the upper part of the compartment 17 preferably consists of a funnel-shaped segment 30, pref erably of aluminum, or any other approved material, which is downwardly convergent and slotted at 31 from an edge thereof to the central portion thereof; this slot 31 facing the door opening 21. The supporting cone or member 30 is mounted centrally in the upper part of the compartment 17 by means of bracket arms 33 which extend radial and at their free ends are detachably connected to the walls 11, 12 and 13 as is 15 shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

The bottle D is the conventional five-gallon size which contains spring water or pure water such as is distributed quite universally. It is a well known problem in connection with conventional liquid cooler design that this water passes through an auxiliary cooling compartment and is contaminated far more than is generally realized. It is therefore an object of the present invention to directly dispense the water from the bottle avithout the necessity of passing it through an auxiliary compartment. To this end, upon removal of the cork of the bottle D, the draft arm E is attached in the neck opening of the bottle. This draft arm structure E generally consists of a stopper of any approved construction, which is forced tightly into the neck opening of the bottle. The stopper 40 supports the draft arm tub ing 41 which includes a vertical portion 42 extending through the stopper 40 and opening 35, into the bottle. It furthermore includes the horizontal portion 43 which is arranged to be positioned normal to the axis of the bottle D when the stopper 40 is in place in the neck opening. The horizontal portion 43 of the draft arm 4'Qpr0per near its free end is provided with a valve casing 44, the valve of which is controlled by a plunger or handle 45 for dispensing water through the draft arm. Furthermore the construction E includes a vent tube 46 which includes a portion 5' extending through the stopper 40 and opening in the lower part of the bottle; the vent tubing 46 extending horizontally of the stopper 40 and upwardly along and in close proximity to the outer side of the bottle to a point above the nor- 56' mal bottom of the bottle. As shown in the drawing, this carries the vent tube to a point above the level of liquid in the bottle, when the bottle is inverted, and the vent tube 46 at this location is provided with an air inlet, preferably supplied with an air filter 48. This air filter 48 may consist of a suitable cartridge of absorbent cotton or material which is antisepticized. Of course the water as it is dispensed from the bottle will tend to create a vacuum in the upper part of the gfpbottle, necessitating the venting of air into the bottle. Cold air is vented through the tubing 46 into the bottle to permit the water to flow through the draft arm proper as is quite apparent.

As to the association of the inverted bottle and gg its draft arm structure in the refrigerating cabinet, after placing of the draft arm structure in proper relation in the neck of the bottle, the bottle is inverted through the open doorway 21 of the cabinet and is slipped into place on the sup- ;o' porting cone or member 30; the neck of the bottle being entered through the slot 31 as is quite apparent. With the inverted bottle D being positioned as shown the draft arm tubing extends forwardly through the doorway 21 of the cabinet. It is to be noted that the draft arm tubing 43 has a cylindrical shaped gasket sleeve 50 thereon, which rests upon the lower edge of the doorway, as shown in Figure 3. The door sections 22 and 23 are then swung closed and the gasket sleeve 50 is received in the notched recesses 49 disposed in the free edges at the lower portion of the door section, as shown in Figure 6, thus compressing the gasket 50 against the door sections and providing an effective seal; it being understood, of course, that the valve casing or dispensing nozzle 44 of the draft arm proper is located exteriorly of the cabinet when the doors 22 and 23 are shut, and at its location will not interfere with a proper closing or proper opening of the doors when the bottle D is properly centered and supported on the cone member 30. In this position of parts it is to be noted that the venting tube is entirely disposed within the cooling compartment of the cabinet, and cold air is thus vented into the bottle D from which the water is to be dispensed. This eliminates the possibility of venting warm air into the water in the bottle, thus .not only avoiding lowering of the temperature of the contents of the bottle,-. but insuring that vent air enters the bottle which is better purified than the air of the room in. which the cooler might be placed.

The front wall 14 of the cabinet Bis provided with a lower opening just above the bottom wall of the cabinet, within which a single door closure 50 is placed and operates and is mounted the same as in conventional refrigerator construction. Through this doorway the. bottle D and its contents are carried for pre-cooled storage in the compartment 17, or for removal therefrom when the bottle D is empty and it is desired to replace the same with the pre-cooled water of the bottle D.

The refrigerating apparatus G preferably conits sists of a mechanical refrigeration unit 55 mounti f e-d exteriorly of the cabinet compartment 17 either above or below the same, and provided withthe usual compressor, condensor, expansion or float valve for the purpose of directing a refrigerating fluid or medium into the cooling device 4.;

mounted in the compartment 1'7 which in the present instance is in the nature of a cooling coil 56. The coil preferably consists of an inlet tube or pipe 57 from which the refrigerant is received from the unit 55. The tube 5'? extends vertically downward through the cabinet compartment 17 and at its lower end is connected with the lower ends of the vertically disposed tubes 60 by means 58, the upper ends of which tubes 60 being all connected together at 61 and connected to acorn mon outlet 62 which directs the refrigerant back to the unit 55. This cooling device 56 may be referred to as a coil throughout the specification and claims without limiting it to a coil as used in its literal sense, since a refrigerant containing jacket or tank may be substituted in lieu thereof with the proper inlet and outlet connections with the unit 55. If desired, a spiral coil may be used in lieu of the coil 56 as shown; the convolutions of the coils spiralling vertically throughout the height of the compartment 1'7 between the inlet and outlet connections with the unit 55. The cooling device'56 is so arranged that it surrounds the sides and the rear of the bottles D and D and it is to be particularly noted that the cooling coil or device 56 is arranged substantially throughout the height of the compartment 1'7, and particularly does it have cooling portions; extending into proximity both with the bottle D from which the water is directly dispensed "and the bottle D which contains the pre-cooled storage supply of Water or liquid. If desired, the-compartment 17 may be subdivided to provide an upper compartment in which the bottle D is received and a lower. separated compartment 'in which the pre-cooling supply bottle D is received; it being understood that the cooling coil of therefrigerating apparatus would then enter both of these. compartments.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the inverted bottle I) with its draft arm structure E attached may be readily inserted or removed with respect tothe cooling compartment 17, and when the bottle D is empty the bottle D. may be substituted in lieu thereof in an obvious manner. I J i I If desired the compartment 17 may be provided with suitable shelves for-containing more than one pre-cooled storage bottle D. It is not at all necessary to locate the pre-cooled storage bottle D below the bottle D, inasmuch as where head-room is restricted the cooling coil on the' refrigerating unit and the cabinet B could be so constructed as to place the bottle D side by side with the bot-' tle D from which the water is being dispensed. A support is mounted at the front of the cabinet below the faucet 44 for receiving the glass into which the water is dispensed. 1

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid cooling apparatus the combination of an insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, means in said cabinet for removably supporting entirely therein an inverted vessel containing liquid to be cooled, draft means connected with said vessel and extending in a sealed relation through said cabinet for selective withdrawal of liquid directly from the vessel at a point exteriorly of the cabinet Without passing the liquid through an auxiliary cooling chamber, a mechanical refrigerating unit for maintaining said cabinet cooling compartment at a desired low temperature, and a second vessel containing a liquid to be cooled in pre-cooled storage in said cooling compartment of the cabinet.

2. In a liquid cooling apparatus the combination of an insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, means in said cabinet for removably supporting entirely therein an inverted vessel containing a liquid to be cooled, draft means connected with said vessel and extending in a sealed relation through said cabinet for selective withdrawal of liquid directly from the vessel at a point exteriorly of the cabinet without passing the liquid through an auxiliary cooling chamber, a mechanical refrigerating unit for maintaining said cabin t cooling compartment at a desired low temperature including a cooling coil in said compartment in cooling proximity to said vessel, and a second vessel containing a liquid to be cooled in pro-cooling storage in said cooling compartment of the cabinet, said cooling coil above mentioned also extending into cooling proximity with said second vessel.

3. In a liquid cooler the combination of an insulation cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, means in said cabinet for removably supporting entirely therein an inverted vessel containing a liquid to be cooled, draft means connected with said vessel and extending in a sealed j relation through said cabinet for selective withdrawal of liquid directly from the vessel to a point .exteriorly of the cabinet without passing the liquid through an auxiliary cooling chamber, a second vessel of the same size as the first mentioned vessel containing a liquid to be cooled and disposed inprecooling storage in said cooling compartment of the cabinet, and a mechanical refrigerating unit for .maintaining said-cooling compartment at a low temperature including a cooling coil arranged in. the cabinet compartment incooling proximity to both of said vessels".

4. In a liquid cooling apparatus the combination .of an insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein,'means in said cabinet for removably supporting an inverted water containing bottle, draft means connected with said bottle and extending exteriorly of the cabinet for withdrawal'of water directlyfrom the bottle, a refrigerant circuit controlling cooling device in the cabinetcompartment'in thermal interchange with said bottle, means exteriorly of the cabinet for transferring refrigerant through said cooling device, said cabinet compartment having means therein for removably supporting an additional water containing bottle in storage in the cooling compartment, said cooling device being associated in cooling proximity to the said last mentioned bottle. I J Y 5. In a liquid cooler the combination of a'heat insulated cabinet having a coo-ling compartment therein, an inverted liquid containing bottle removably supportedin the compartment, a liquid dispensing draft arm connected with the neck of the bottle, and closure means for the cabinet releasably engaging in heat sealed relation with the draft arm, the latter extending exteriorly of the cabinet.

6. In a liquid cooler the combination of a heat insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, an inverted liquid containing bottle removably supported in the compartment, a liquid dispensing draft arm connected with the neck of the bottle, closure means for the cabinet releasably engaging in heat sealed relation with the draft arm, the latter extending exteriorly of the cabinet, and refrigerating apparatus associated with the cabinet including a cooling coil in the cabinet in thermal interchange with the bottle and the contents thereof.

'7. In a liquid cooler the combination of a heat insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, means in the upper portion of the cabinet for supporting an inverted bottle in liquid dispensing relation, means in the lower portion of said compartment for supporting a second liquid containing bottle in pre-cooling storage association therein, and means for cooling said compartment in thermal interchange with the said bottles and the contents thereof.

8. In a liquid cooler the combination of a heat insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, liquid containing means removably mounted in said cabinet including a draft arm, said cabinet having an opening through which the liquid containing means and draft arm may be placed in or removed with respect to said compartment, and through which the draft arm extends when the liquid containing means is mounted in said compartment, closure means for the opening of the cabinet engageable in sealing relation with the draft arm where it extends from said compartment, said draft arm exteriorly of the compartment having a dispensing valve and faucet thereon.

9. In a liquid cooler the combination of a cabinet having a heat insulated compartment therein, means for cooling said compartment, said compartment therein having a shelf slotted from a peripheral edge thereof for removably supporting an inverted bottle with the neck of the bottle extending through the slot and the body of .the bottle directly supported upon said shelf, and a draft arm removably connected in the mouth of the neck of said bottle.

10. In a liquid cooler the combination of aheat insulated cabinet having a cooling compartment therein, said cabinet having an opening to said compartment, a liquid vessel .removably mounted in inverted relation in said compartment, a draft arm connected with said inverted vessel and extending through the opening of the cabinet to a point exteriorly of the oabinet,.and closure members movably mounted upon said cabinet and operable at opposite sides of said opening of the cabinet into closing relation across the opening of the cabinet, said closures having recessed at the facing edges thereof for clamping upon the draft arm in substantially a sealed relation, said draft arm exteriorly of the cabinet when the 'i closures are shut having a dispensing faucet for withdrawal of liquid from the vessel.

11. In a liquid cooler the combination of a relatively narrow vertically elongated insulated cabinet having a relatively narrow vertically elongated cooling compartment therein,'independent closure means in the upper and lower portions of said cabinet for said compartment, means in the cabinet for removably supporting an inverted liquid containing bottle in removable and insertable relation with respect to the upper closure means, and means in the lower portion of the cabinet for supporting a liquid containing bottle in storage in the compartment in removable and insertabl'e relation with the lower closure means of said compartment.

12. In aliquid cooler the combination of a relatively narrow vertically elongated insulated cabinet having a relatively narrow vertically elongated cooling compartment therein, independent closure means in the upper and lower portions of i said cabinet for said compartment, means in the cabinet for removably supporting an inverted liquid containing bottle in removable and insert- 

